252 APETALOUS EXOGENS 



lobed and cuneate at base ; drupe dark blue ; peduncle purple. 

 Laurus Sassafras. L. $ FL Cestr. ed. 2. p. 254. 

 OFFICINAL SASSAFRAS. Sassafras. 



Stem 20 to 40 or 50 feet high, and 6 to 12 inches (sometimes near 2 feet) in diame- 

 ter, branches, while young, yellowish and pubescent. Leaves 3 to 5 inches long. 

 silky-pubescent when young, finally smooth ; petioles % an inch to an inch in 

 length, flowers from the same buds, and contemporaneous, with the leaves; 

 pedicels % to % an inch long, silky-villous. 

 Hob. Woods; old fields, and fence-rows: frequent. Fl. April. Fr. Sept. 



Obs. The bark, both of the stem and root, is a powerful yet 

 pleasant aromatic stimulant, which acquired for it at an early 

 day, in Europe, an exaggerated reputation for medicinal virtues. 

 The pith of the young branches contains much mucilage, said to 

 afford a salutary wash for sore eyes; and MICHAUX alleges that 

 bed-steads made of the wood "are never infested with insects." 



356. BEtf ZO v Itf , Nees. 



[A name said to be derived from the Arabic, expressive of perfume.] 

 Flowers polygamo-dioicous : Sepals 6, united at base. STAM. FL. 

 Stamens 9, in 3 series, the 3 innermost lobed at summit, and 

 gland-bearing at base ; anthers 2-celled. PISTILLATE FL. with 15 

 to 18 alternating filiform and spatulate rudiments of stamens. Drupe 

 oval ; peduncle not clavate. Shrubs : flowers yellow, preceding the 

 leaves, in small lateral fascicles with a deciduous involucre. 



1. IJ. oclorif 'eruin, Nees. Leaves obovate-oblong, mostly acute, 

 often cuneate at base ; drupe red, or finally dark purple. 

 Laurus Benzoin. L. $ FL Cestr. ed. 2. p. 253. 

 ODORIFEROUS BENZOIN. Spice-wood. Wild- Allspice. Fever-bush. 



Stem 6 to 8 or 10 feet high; branches virgate, brittle. Leaves 2 to 4 inches long, 

 sometimes with a short acumination, occasionally obtuse and rounded at apex; 

 petioles about half an inch long. Flowers in clusters of 3 to 5 from a bud, which 

 is distinct from the leaf-buds ; pedicels smooth, about 2 lines in length. 

 13ab, Moist, low grounds ; about springs : frequent. Fl. April. Fr. Sept. 



Obs. A strongly aromatic shrub, of the twigs of which a decoc- 

 tion was formerly in great vogue, as a medicinal drink for horned 

 Cattle, in the spring of the year. 



ORDER LXXXI. THYMELEA^CEAE. 



Shrubs, not aromatic; leaves alternate, entire, without stipules ; jtow&rs perfect; 

 calyx regular, corolla-like, more or less tubular ; stamens usually twice as many ae 

 the calyx-lobes; ovary free; fruit a berry-like drupe; seed solitary, with little or 



357, MR'CA, L, 



[OJr. Dirke, the name of a fountain, near Thebes; applied to this genus.] 

 Calyx tubular-campanulate, truncate, the border obscurely 4- 

 toothed. Stamens 8, exserted, unequal. Style filiform, longer than 

 the stamens ; stigma capitate ; drupe oval. Flotvers pale greenish- 

 yellow, preceding the leaves, in small terminal and lateral fascicles 

 (sometimes solitary, often in pairs), on deflected peduncles. 



